Rapelang Rabana
Computer scientist, Entrepreneur, and keynote speaker
Rapelang Rabana is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker. She is currently the Founder and Chair of Rekindle Learning, a learning technology company; and previously co-founded Yeigo Communications, South Africa's first free VoIP mobile services provider. She has been featured on the cover of ForbesAfrica magazine, selected as a FastCompany Maverick, named Entrepreneur for the World by the World Entrepreneurship Forum and selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Quotes edit
- Develop your mind. More than ever, there is so much to learn, so much to know, so many different things to do. The opportunities to be whoever you want to be have never been more accessible to those who pursue their dreams.
- EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE QUINTESSENTIAL RAPELANG RABANA, FOUNDING PARTNER, YEIGO( August 25, 2012) by Folake Soetan Retrieved 9 July 2022
"Being an Entrepreneur is About More Than Just Business" (2017) edit
‘BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST BUSINESS’ ( June 29, 2017) by Entrepreneurs Retrieved 9 July 2022
- Business [and] entrepreneurship, is not some intellectual or mental exercise – it takes everything of you to make it work – it is a life exercise. The more congruent the business is to who you are as an individual and what you value, the deeper your capacity to persevere and outlast.
- The key differentiator [between being good and being great] is whether that person is following their calling, if they are doing something they believe is part of their life journey … or whether they are just doing a job, or doing something because they believe that is what they have to do. Not everyone operates from the realm of understanding that life is about choosing … about putting your will out there and spending your life making it a reality. Not everyone realises that by not choosing, life chooses for you and that is never the ideal outcome. Those who become great are deliberately creating their life path as opposed to allowing life to happen to them.
- Entrepreneurship is far more a personal journey than it is a business journey. The extent to which you are willing to grow as a person, has a direct impact on your business because in the early stages so much of your business is about you. I believe that true success comes from operating from an authentic space and being true to your own goals and aspirations. If you try to behave like someone else, you deviate from that authentic space where your real power lies. Understanding of self, what truly motivates you, what your strengths and weaknesses are, building self-awareness are critical qualities. This is a skill available to anyone who seeks it – it’s about reflecting, reading, listening to yourself, exploring your hunches or ideas, even if they don’t seem like much.
- You will need a lot of perseverance to keep going. No matter how prepared or smart you are, the real test is the ability to keep going. As an entrepreneur, you will give and give and give so much of yourself, and after that… give some more. If you don’t know why you are doing it (which comes back to understanding of self), you will battle to make the kind of long-term commitment that will see you through the challenges.
- It is important to be close to the people and things that anchor you. For me it’s my parents, my family, my close friends to have a laugh with. Being reminded of who you are, and regardless of the circumstances, that someone thinks you are great.
- It is about maintaining good health, physical strength and mental strength through healthy living, exercise and meditation. Negativity comes from the mind which is affected to a large degree by your physical health.
"Innovation and Education: Young Serial Entrepreneur sets out to Transform South Africa’s Education System" (2022) edit
"Innovation and Education: Young Serial Entrepreneur sets out to Transform South Africa’s Education System" by awpnetwork Retrieved 9 July 2022
- Entrepreneurship for me is a personal journey rather than a business journey, which is why perseverance and humility go a long way. Entrepreneurship, especially at a young age, is an incredibly steep learning curve and learning every day is a very humbling experience because you have to acknowledge how little you know and perhaps how-not-so-smart you are, and still keep going regardless.
- Running a business will take up everything you think you have and a whole lot more after that. This is why it is very important to do what you love and not just pursue money. The pursuit of money provides little solace during tough times.
- Money really is not everything. It is a false comfort. Money will not stop a “real entrepreneur” from starting a business. Work until you have saved enough – find investors, ask friends and family, borrow. Money should not stop anyone from fulfilling their dreams. Money is an accelerator – whether you are going in the right or wrong direction, money simply accelerates you in the direction that you are already going in.
External links edit
- EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE QUINTESSENTIAL RAPELANG RABANA, FOUNDING PARTNER, YEIGO( August 25, 2012) by Folake Soetan